Certain packages can be very sensitive to shock during transport. An example of such a shock sensitive package is an infant being transported by ground vehicle or by air. During rapid emergency transport, a patient can experience extreme jarring and impact forces. These forces are caused by the transport vehicle experiencing similar impacts due to road conditions or air conditions, and those forces being subsequently transferred into the gurney and possibly into a transport isolette if a critical neonatal patient is involved.
These impacts can cause additional damage and problems with the critical neonatal patient. The delicate nature or reduced strength of the neonatal patient increases the damage sustained from jarring impacts and increases healing time compared to a larger patient.
The impact forces can be reduced through passive means such as foam or springs, but these systems still require significant observations by the vehicle driver in order to mitigate damage that would otherwise occur with the passive system. Passive systems also involve rebound, which is undesirable.